Maintanence Week - July 2023

 This year is 25 years since the construction of the Temple building (constructed in 1997, Opening Ceremony in 2000), and we took a week for concentrated Work Practice maintaining the Temple buildings and grounds.  With attention to the land and structures which support our practice, the Temple and surrounding grounds now sparkle with the care they have received.  The Sangha (Temple community) enjoyed time working together and daily lunches in the screen house.

Jukai - Bodhisattva Vows - July 2, 2023

Shao Shan Temple

Sunday, July 2, 2023

The ancient formal ceremony of Jukai was held on Sunday.  This year Randy Henson and Susan Stitely made the commitment to become formal students of Shao Shan Temple.  They received the 16 precepts, a Buddhist name and have become Kenzan’s students  

Randy's Dharma Name is ZEN-KAI meaning "Ocean of Goodness".  

Susan's Dharma Name is JUN-RYU meaning "Pure Stream".

This ceremony was an occasion for the families and friends of those receiving the precepts and Sangha members to join together in support of the commitment that Susan and Randy are entering.  It was followed by light refreshments.

Thanks to all who joined in a spirit of renewal and intentions which support a life beneficial for all. 

June 1/2 day Zazenkai

Within moist soft air laden with the scent of lilacs, practioners gathered on Sunday, June 18th at Shao Shan Temple for a full morning of intensive practice.

The Zazenkai program included opening and closing ceremonies, zazen (sitting meditation), kinhin (walking meditation), and dokusan(individual meetings) and a Dharma reading/talk. 

The theme for this weekend (both Saturday's and Sunday's Dharma Talk) was Hakuin Zenji's "Song of Zazen".

All beings by nature are Buddha,

As ice by nature is water.

Apart from water there is no ice;

Apart from beings, no Buddha.

...

...

This very place is the Lotus Land,

This very body, the Buddha

- Zen Master Hakuin

June Introduction Program

Friday evening, June 16th, was an in-person "Introduction to Shao Shan Temple" program.  This program offers an overview of the Temple, history, programs offered, an introduction to meditation, the opportunity to ask questions.  Usually it also includes a tour of the grounds, but due to pouring rain, this month, we pointed out the various structures through the windows!  Lizabeth joined as sangha (Temple community) representative and 8 new people participated.

Beavers and Boats - June Family Program

For this month’s Family Program, the children learned about the qualities of patience and persistence while exploring the area around Connie’s Pond, where some very busy beavers have been building a lodge and enormous dam. 

We learned about the interplay between the beavers and the road crew, in which the beavers keep trying to dam up the culverts under the road, while the road crew keeps on taking out the dams, and the beavers build them right back up. 

We discussed how we all have setbacks in our lives, and we always have the opportunity to take a breath and try again. 

The children then experimented with building boats out of natural materials. Some of the attempts sunk, while others could hold small rocks above the
water! 

We offered a bit of our snack to the fish in the pond, standing quietly while they nibbled away, before returning to the Temple grounds for our own snack. 

We ended with some Temple time in the zendo, where we listened to the bell, the ravens, and our own minds and hearts.